Page 7 of The Fallen

Chapter Six

Marie walked slowly toward the woods, looking around for any sign of Brenton. He was nowhere in sight. She started to feel silly for thinking she could talk to him through her thoughts. Of course he wasn't here. She hadn't seen him in days.

?She turned around and was heading home when she heard a low whistle come through the trees. She stopped and waited. Another whistle came in the same manner and she spun around to see him standing behind a tree. She was so happy to see him, she didn't stop to think about what this all meant.

?“You're here,” she said walking toward him.

?“I told you to come find me.”

?She stopped in front of him. “Wait, you mean that was real? You were in my head and we really did communicate.”

?She stumbled and almost fell. He quickly caught her and leaned in close. Marie was startled by how fast his movements were. “Uh, yeah, that's how it works.”

?“How what works?” she asked, feeling like her breakfast was about to come up.

?He helped her up and they roamed further in the woods without him saying anything. She couldn't take another mysterious encounter with him. She paused, but he kept walking until he realized she wasn't with him.

?“Please Brenton, I need to know what's happening. Something is different and I don't understand it. How are we able to talk to each other when you are nowhere around? And I can't explain it but,” she was embarrassed to admit it, but she needed him to know, “I felt your pain. I felt that you were concerned for me. How is that?”

?She realized she was pleading with him, but she didn't care. That morning, before they met, she knew something was about to happen. The feeling was so heavy, it weighed on her. Now, all she wanted was for someone to tell her the truth about it.

?“I can't believe you don't know what's going on?” he asked, his face pained.

?“Why would I be asking you this if I knew?”

?“I guess you're right.”

?He sat down on the ground and motioned for her to join him. She sat across from him and folded her legs.

?Once again, the wind picked up. The leaves swirled around them; she felt like she was inside a tornado. Fallen branches joined the whirlwind and floated around her in a perfect circle while Brenton looked past her, in a daydream. She stayed silent and waited.

?Lightening flashed above them. Brenton didn't flinch, he just concentrated, eyes glazed over. The last time this happened, Marie thought he was listening to something or someone, but now she knew for sure.

?She moved closer and his eyes bore into her, wild and blazing. She was startled and jumped back. He shook his head and the wind ceased in that second. The branches fell instantly and the leaves floated to the ground beside her.

?“What was that?” she said breaking the silence.

?“That?” he replied looking up, “That was nothing.”

?Marie didn't know him, but she knew a fib when she heard one. “You're lying.”

?He stood up and brushed the dirt from his pants and reached his hand out for hers. She grabbed it. He pulled her up and they faced the sky as another strike of lightening rolled above them.

?“Seriously, it's nothing. Someone is just having a temper tantrum.” Lightening struck again. “Anyway, I was hoping they were wrong, but I guess I'm not so lucky.”

?Marie was getting irritated. “Can you stop talking in riddles, please?”

?They headed back toward the school and Marie sat down on the bleachers near the baseball field while Brenton paced in front of her.

?“It would be hard to explain everything just like that. I mean, I always thought everyone of us knew our purpose from youth, but apparently you were shielded,” he said.

?“I still don't get it.”

?He stopped and grabbed her hand, adding to the dramatic effect she was sure she would have to get used to.

?“Marie, you and I... we're half mortal, half angel; a race which descended from the angels of Heaven, called the Elyos.”

?She glared at him for a second then she couldn't hold it in any longer. She burst out laughing. Her eyes started tearing up while Brenton's face remained placid.

---